Everything you do in life requires energy. Whether you’re asleep, awake, engaged in heavy activity or just resting, your body requires energy to function properly. Each of your internal organs, systems, and functions depends on the energy you produce from the foods you eat.

Your body composition is one factor in determining the amount of energy you need. Muscle, because it is the most metabolic tissue, requires a great deal of energy just to maintain itself. Since men are more muscular in nature than women, men need more calories.

Children, teens and young adults who are still developing and growing in height, weight and body composition have greater energy needs. Requirements for energy also change as people age, because muscle tissue atrophies, which reduces basal energy metabolism, (the minimal amount of energy needed to keep our body’s functioning properly while at rest).

Physical Energy

Any external function such as work, play, exercise-even walking obviously requires energy support. For those with active lifestyles, the needs for energy to fuel the body are much greater than for someone with a sedentary lifestyle.

Health and Wellness

Fighting infection and disease in the body requires massive amounts of physical energy. Fever drains energy stores to maintain normal temperature balance once again and even modest attempts by the body to respond to invaders triggers a measurable increase in energy usage.